Wednesday, February 18, 2015

10 Ways To Freshen Up Your Home

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved decorating. I don't know why but the possibilities of beautifying a room has always excited me. As a kid, I remember spending countless hours re-arranging my bedroom furniture trying to find the optimal arrangement that felt balanced & comfortable.

Now, that we are out of apartment living and have our own place, I am excited to add our personal style and make our house reflect our design aesthetics. And, since I've been thinking about all things decor lately, I wanted to share some easy & affordable ways to transform your home through decor.

Tip #1: Hang them up.

We all have countless photos either on our computers or cameras, Lets do something with them. Develop some of your favorites & hang them up. Adding pictures to your home is a quick and easy way to add a personal touch to your home that you and everyone that walks through your doors will appreciate.

Since we have high ceilings in the home, I knew I wanted to make large prints to fit the scale of the room. So I went to Staples and did some B&W engineer prints in the 3 x 4 ft size. It was super cheap {about 8 bucks} & they came out amazingly well. I then headed to my local hardware store & bought an insulation board{it comes in 16 ft}. I had the Hardware store pre-cut the board for me, so when I got home, all I had to do was gallery wrap my boards. It is simple yet makes such a huge difference. The best part is that you'd never guess they were DIY pictures{unless I told you of course;)}. We love the finished product!

Tip#2: Add a pop.

Whether it's a splash of color or a bold print{or both}, add a pop of something that will draw you in & put a smile on your face. And don't forget to play around with different textures: wood, metal, leather, etc. The culmination of all those elements will give your home a more polished/tailored look.

Tip #3: Update

Look at the furniture in your home and analyze whether it is a true reflection of your style. Do you love the color/fabric,if not; can it be changed? Those are some of the things I ask myself, before opting to buy new pieces of furniture. I can often revamp old pieces by simply sanding & painting it , re-upholstering furniture, or adding new accent elements to it{like nail heads, crown molding, mirrors}. Going the DIY way may take a little longer but it's definitely the way to go if you are on a budget!

Tip #4: Less is more.

It's good to have collections or a good variety of accessories to display on your tables, mantles, counters, etc. But you also have to know how to edit some of those things out. I know I am guilty of over cluttering, but once I have a second to sit back and really see the finished product I will probably take 1 or 2 or 3 of those items out and display them in another room in the home. Really, though: less is more!

Tip #5: Add some breathing room.

Something that can make your room feel uncluttered & more intimate is making sure your seating is off and away from the walls. The "floating" sofa concept is something that I have grown to love! This arrangement still let's you maximize your seating while providing easy walking access.

Tip #6: Hang them High.

As you can see from the picture above, I am a fan of the floor-ceiling look. Longer curtains give the illusion of bigger windows, and who doesn't want that? Drapes that are hung from the ceiling height also make the room feel bigger and add a hint of elegance. When choosing a pattern or print for the drapes make sure it's something that you will love, because it will make often dominate your attention and make a huge impact in your room!

Tip #7: Splurge on a Rug.

I know it's hard to imagine spending any amount of money on rugs, when your home already came with plenty of flooring:). But this is actually something that helps your house feel like a lived in & loved home. It adds such a cozy factor while also making your home feel memorable{patterns are a wonderful thing}. So if you find one for a decent price, just get it, you'll most likely have it for many years to come.

Tip #8:Rug Placement matters.

Since we are on the topic of rugs...When it comes to large area rugs, I feel like you should either have all your furniture on it or at least have the front feet of your furniture on the rug in order to successfully tie in the arrangement visually. I know some people like to have all their furniture off the rug, but my philosophy is that rugs are meant to be used, so put your furniture on it;).

Tip #9: Add some sparkle.

Something that I did in our girl's bathroom to add their personality to the room was add this metallic contact paper. I simply cut circles in various sizes and arranged them on the wall. It was a simple project but it really gives that room a playful & girly feel. Don't be afraid to add accents on the wall, whether it's a stencil painted on or strategically placed wall paper, have fun with your walls & make them your own.

Tip #10: Add scent decor

One way to add an unexpected touch of luxury to your home is by adding you signature scent to your home{ through your linens, towels, clothing & favorite fabrics}. It is my favorite way to finish off our rooms.

Carlos Huber said something that I really loved: " Personal fragrance is a way of communicating to the world who you are without saying a word. Within your home, scents act as a thread that weaves your furniture, art work and decor elements into a personal narrative. Be bold and experiment with the different long-lasting scents to present the story you want your home to tell."

We started using P&G's Fresh Unstopables fabric softener about six months ago, and we have seen a dramatic difference in fabric texture as well as the duration of the scent on our clothing. So, when we were deliberating on a signature scent for our living room, it didn't take long for both of us to decide on Unstoppable's Fresh scent{we seriously can't get enough of it}. .